New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-21
A01ryB WORK FOB Y0UNG MEN.
THE CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS RECORD

aoMr on THE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE
-rnE PROSPECTS or TEE NEW MOVEMENT
Tia astion Of the Young Mems Christian Associs-
len In making the orsssisatien st Twsnty-sn'fost
I'D Fourth-sva branch OF the association unoef
Iaard of management sepaIats from the association
lo.,d Of directors OF this city, and the proposed pls"
~ erecting nov central building in suitable place
further uptown, wh,eh plsAs wsro announced In
Tar TRIBUNE last Sunday, have awakened the III
tarest Of the assseistonS many friends and bret
sketch OF ito history will shov the remarkable growth
of the association In its different dep armenia.
Whom the Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby was professor In
the U.versty Of the CITY NewYork every sunday for
pight years taught large Bible class OF young men
While student, with n thought Of entering the mn
Istry. he had taken an sotvs part In tho
weekly meeting for prayer and no said 70
Gently that whatever Of good he had bsen abe 70
accomplish In later ysas was due largely to the stand
then taken He early interested in the hundreds
OF youse men the city from the country snc
from other lands and, with few friends. dscoso W
organize branch Of tho Youag Mems Christian Assoc's
tion. This was thirty seven years ago, wnen tnsre
wsrS only two In this country-one IN bos'oA
and the other in Providence The leading clergy
frowRed upon the plan. and Oh al 'ns
city pastors only three approved the NEGOTIATING !"
was started however and success from the nrst.
Dr. Crosby president for three years ana IN MS 70
ports addresses. everywhere he urged need OF No"
BUILDING be the permanent home OF the growing oody.
~
citation Building at Fourthsvs and Twcntythirdst wss
the result Of efforts begun By his energy and perss
verance
The organiza, IN of the present society effected
IN June 80, 1852. With q membership OF IT'S, ana
was porated under the general laws OF the State
two weeks later Its first president was o. p Wood
ford. The frat rooms occupied were In Stuyvessnt
Institute No. $50 Broadway, and were opened on
September 90 In the first annual report the IDEA OF
o building was advanced, and 100000 was the
estimate at that early day The membership was
then about 1000. aud the library contained LOO
volumes In me second annual report Tho matter OF
building WAS urged by DIR. Crosby. Some effort was
made to raise iunds bat 1T was soon relinquished.
In September, 1854, the association removed to
rooms in Clinton Hall. Aster place. and two years
later the University Building in Washington Square
Its next move IN $50 when rooms were taken ct
Tweifth-st and Broadway. Ihe following year. 1T
moved to the Bibls House, where on account OF the
Civil War. the ranks OF its members were greatly
thinned and the association erppe in every way
In lS62 no We ger. the members Aud friends OF the
association we're called together In q reunion aud
from THE time spirit once moro vitalized the 40
ciety. Through the untiring efforts OF vii lam
Dodge. H., Samuel w. Ste boins, Dr. Howard Crosby,
James Stokes. X. A. Brick and r. r. McBurney, the
usefulness than it hal heretofore attained aud in the
Sa OF that year. rooms rented at Fitth-sve and
Twenty whcI, was the last temporary homo
OF the society. The fitted up 10 an attrac-
tive manner and steady Accessiops made to the
membership, while the compass OF the work wse great
ly enlarged. But the need OF budiag tor the asso-
station became and more appareut aud the Ia
yOred tins for the movement was SOON reached. As
result OF long and careful work. the cornerstone OF
Association II All at wenty thrdst and Fourth-ave
laid Since that time the work of the Association
has gone steadily forward, and at present the NEW
bersh;p IL about 5000
There are nine branches besides the Twenrytbirdst
branoh which have had their origin IN the Central
Building at Twenty-tbird-st and which have been I'M
der the management OF the former Board OF
Contro They are the Harlem branch at No.
$50 East 0nehundrt d-aud twenty- ffth-st. estab-
lished in 1868; the Yorkville branch at No.
155 East Eighty -sXth-st-. organized In 1871: tho
Bowery branch, at No. 243 Bowsry, established in
1872 the Grand Central Station branch. established
IN 1875 for which fine building Is being erected at
Madison-ave and Forty -6fth-st; the Railroad
branches at Thirtiethst Tsnthave., established
in 1877 the one In Sxtieth-st. established in 1887
and the weehawkep branch estsblished In 1885 ana
the Young Meas Institute at No. 222 Bowery, estab-
lehed in 1883.
The Association Library which Is at present in the
Twenty thirdst. building CONTAINS over $4,000 VOL
umes and shs library will be transferred TO the new
Central Building except such books will be required
for reference library. The Central library will be
greatly increased BY works the dre arts. ar Infect
ure etc.. and will made circulating, under the man
sgement OF the present librarian. r. B. Poole. The
location for the building Is not settled yet but 1t
will contain only the circulating library and the bust
mesa Offices OF the Association Directors